Pawl-and-ratchet mechanism.



P. A. STRONG. PAWL AND RATGHET MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 31, 1912.

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FREDERICK A. STRONG,.OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, .A SSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CHAIN COMPANY, OF SHERBILL, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

. v IPAWL-AND-RATCHET MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented F 01). 24, 19 14.

Application filed December 31, 1912. Serial No. 789,543.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. STRONG, a citizen of the United, States, residing at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Pawl'and-Ratchet Mechanism, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide av simple and inexpensive pawl and ratchet mechanism adapted for general use and especially adapted for use as an automobile jack.

With these and other objects in view I' have devised the novel mechanism whlch I will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and using reference characters to indicate the several parts.

Figure l is a sectional elevation illustrating the construction and operation of my novel implement; Fig. 2 a section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, the pawl being in position for lowering the screw; Fig. 3 a similar view, the pawl being in position for raising the screw; Fig. 4 an elevation of the collar detached, as seen from the right in Fig. 1, the lever being removed; and Fig. 5 is a section onthe line 5-5 in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

10 denotes the standard or stationary member which may be of any ordinary or preferred design or'configuration and 11 the screw or non-rotatable member which is adapted to be moved vertically therein by means of a nut 12 or rotatable member and is held against rotation by lugs or a cross pin 13 engaging vertical grooves 14 in the standard. At the upper end ofthe screw. is abearing block 15 which is placed under a weight to be raised and in which the upper end of the screw is swiveled. The nut rests upon'the upper endof the standard and is provided with peripheral'teeth 16. Near the upper end of the standard is a peripheral-groove 17 and below the groove 'a shoulder 18 on which an oscillatory collar 19 rests. The inneinendof a screw or pin 20 in the collar engages the groove in the standard and retains the collar thereon but permits free oscillatory movement of the collar. Upon one side of the collar is a head or horizontal projection 21 having a recessv 22 in which a double-pointed pawl 23 is pivoted to swing in the horizontal plane and a recess 24 in which a lever 25 is pivoted to swing in the vertical plane and is left free to drop down parallel with the standard. The pawl is provided with walls 26 at right angles to each other.

27 denotes a plunger which is held in engagement with either .wall of the pawl to hold it in either ofits operative positions, as in Figs. 2 and 3, by a spring 28 socketed in the head.

The operation is as follows: In Fig. 2, the pawl is shown in position to lowerthe screw and bearing block and in Fig. 3 in position to raise said parts. To raise-or lower the screw and bearing block anda weight resting thereon, the operator places the proper pawl in engagement with the teeth on the nut, raises the lever to a convenient posi tion, for example, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 and swings the lever backward and forward in approximately the horizontal plane. When the pawl is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the upper point of the pawl, as seenin said view, will engage the teeth of the nut when the lever is swung forward, carrying the ringand head, and the pawl will carry the nut forward and lower the screw, bearing block and weight carried thereby, the pawl dragging over the teeth of the nut when the lever is swung in the opposite direction. When the pawl is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the lower point of the pawl, as seen-in said view, will engage the teeth of the nut when the lever is swung baclnvard,zcarrying the ring and head, and the pawl'will carry the nut backward and raise 'the screw,.bearing block and weight carried thereby, the pawl dragging over the teeth of the nut when the lever is swung in the opposite direction. When not in use the lever drops down wholly out of the Way, as .seen in Fig. 1. This is an important feature of construction as it provides a compact and self contained implement, without detachable parts and which occupies relatively little spacein a tool box.

Having thus described my invention I claim y In a pawl and ratchet mechanism, a stationary member, a member retained against engaging the non-rotatable member and having peripheral teeth resting upon the top of the stationary member and collar, integral ears depending from the underside of the projection and extending outward from the collar, a lever pivoted between the ears, an integral housing upon the upper side of the projection extending upward from the outer end and over the top thereof having an exterior hollow casing projecting outward from the vertical portion of the housing, a double pointed pawl carried upon hollow casing a pivot secured between the horizontal portion of the housing and the upper surface of the projection, and spring means within the for retaining either point of the pawl in operative engagement with the peripheral teeth.

In testimony whereof I aflix in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK A. STRONG. Witnesses:

E. F. VON WETTBERG, W. M. WHEELER.

my signature 

